Author: poeaxtry_

Best For:

Ohio Locals used to make Michigan runs, people who keep their stash in their center console, individuals who don’t smoke in their house, but smoke in their car, hemp, and CBD customers, and those people who support small businesses.

As an Ohio Local & Legal THC Advocate:

In Ohio, the only thing that changes faster than the weather is the law. If you’re local of follow the Ohio government you know it’s true. While we all celebrated the “green wave” of 2023, the tide has officially shifted as of March 20, 2026.

If you’re still operating under the old rules of Issue 2, you are walking into a legal minefield without a map. This isn’t just a “tweak” to the system; it’s a complete overhaul of how we buy, carry, and consume.

Below i have broken down the breakdown of the new SB 56 landscape. Now you don’t have to hunt for the information or be ill informed. You can save and reuse this to stay informed, stay protected, and keep your peace of mind intact

Ohio’s lawmakers – Making changes:

For nearly two years, Ohioans operated under the framework of Issue 2. Which was the 2023 voter-approved initiative that legalized adult-use marijuana with a focus on personal freedom.

However, as of March 20, 2026, the legal landscape underwent its most significant overhaul to date. Senate Bill 56. Which Ohio is now considering the law of this state. This bill introduced new criminal penalties and tighter restrictions. I feel every Ohio resident needs to understand it to remain completely informed.  

The goal here isn’t to assist anyone in skirting the law. I aim to provide a clear, fact-based map of what the law is today. While we work at comparing the new laws to what they were yesterday. In a shifting legal environment, being informed is your only real protection.

From Issue 2 to SB 56: What Changed?

When Issue 2 first went into effect in December 2023, it was hailed as a relatively open system. It allowed for high-potency extracts and a flexible approach to where and how you could carry your product. SB 56, signed by Governor DeWine in late 2025, has “recriminalized” several behaviors that were previously considered safe under the original voter-passed statute.  

The most jarring change is the Mandatory Local Sourcing rule. Under the original 2023 law, the source of your cannabis was less of a legal flashpoint as long as you were within possession limits. As of March 20th, 2026, it is explicitly illegal to possess any cannabis in Ohio that was purchased from another state.

Yes. Even if you bought it legally in Michigan, or any other legal state. The moment you cross the state line into Ohio, that product is considered contraband. If it isn’t from an Ohio-licensed dispensary or a legal home-grow in Ohio, possessing it is now a criminal offense.  

Potency Caps and the Hemp Ban:

The Ohio lawmakers also used SB 56 to lower the “ceiling” on what can be sold in Ohio dispensaries. This affects both recreational users and medical patients who rely on high-concentration products.  

• Extracts and Concentrates: The allowable THC limit has been slashed from 90% down to a maximum of 70%.  
• Raw Flower: Dried plant material is now capped at a maximum of 35% THC.  
• The Hemp Loophole: Previously, “intoxicating hemp” products like Delta-8 were sold in gas stations and smoke shops. SB 56 has effectively banned these sales outside of licensed dispensaries. Any product with more than 0.5mg of THC per serving is now legally classified as marijuana and must be regulated by the Division of Cannabis Control.  

The Legal Blueprint for Transport:

The most common way people find themselves in legal friction is during transport. SB 56 has introduced “Open Container” logic for cannabis, making it much easier to face a misdemeanor charge. Even for something as simply as having your product in the wrong part of your car. To remain 100% legal while driving, you must follow these specific storage protocols:  

• The product must remain in its original, unopened packaging as dispensed by the retailer.
• If the seal is broken or the package has been opened, the law now mandates that the product (and all associated paraphernalia like pipes or vapes) must be stored in the trunk of the vehicle.
• If your vehicle does not have a trunk, such as a hatchback, van, or SUV, the product must be stored behind the last upright seat or in an area not normally occupied by the driver or passengers.
• Having an open bag of gummies or a jar of flower in your glove box or center console is now a punishable offense.  

Consumption Boundaries – Public vs. Private:

The “where” is just as important as the “how.” Under the 2026 update, public consumption is no longer a grey area; it is a prohibited act.  

While you can legally consume on private property provided you own the home or have explicit permission from the landlord. Meaning you also cannot consume in any public space. This includes smoking, vaping, and even the use of edibles in parks, trail systems, concerts, on sidewalks, or in parking lots.

Additionally, being a passenger in a vehicle while consuming THC products is now a misdemeanor of the third degree. The law has also removed previous non-discrimination protections. This means that while using it is still “legal,” it can be used as a factor in certain professional licensing or child custody situations if not handled within the strict confines of the law.  

The Death of the “Gas Station High” – Intoxicating Hemp & Beverage Bans:

One of the most aggressive maneuvers in SB 56 is the total elimination of the “unregulated” market. For the last few years, gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops across Ohio operated in a legal gray area. That allowed the selling if intoxicating hemp derivatives like Delta-8, Delta-10, and THCa.  

As of March 20, 2026, that era is officially over. The new law has redefined “intoxicating hemp” to include anything containing more than 0.5mg of THC per serving. This change effectively reclassifies these products as marijuana, meaning:  

• Gas Stations and Smoke Shops are now strictly prohibited from selling vapes, gummies, or flower derived from hemp if they contain intoxicating levels of THC.  
• The Beverage Veto: In a late-stage move, Governor DeWine used a line-item veto to strike down a provision that would have allowed bars, restaurants, and breweries to sell low-dose (5mg) THC-infused seltzers.  
• Dispensary-Only Access: Because of that veto, THC-infused beverages (even those derived from hemp) can now only be sold inside state-licensed cannabis dispensaries. Your local brewery can no longer legally serve or sell these “mocktails” or seltzers for on-site consumption or carry-out.  

This isn’t just a change in where you buy; it’s a change in what exists on the shelf. Thousands of Ohio businesses have had to clear their inventory this week to avoid felony possession and trafficking charges. If you see a “THC beverage” or “Delta-8 gummy” being sold at a non-licensed corner store today, that business is operating outside the law and risking immediate closure.

Staying Compliant- Possession and Cultivation:

Possession limits remain at 2.5 ounces of plant material or 15 grams of extract. For those who choose to grow at home, the limit of six plants per adult (and 12 per household) still stands. However, SB 56 adds a “visibility” clause: your plants must be in a secured, locked area that is not visible to the naked eye from any public space.  

By following these updated 2026 standards, sourcing locally, transporting in the trunk, and keeping consumption strictly private, you can navigate Ohio’s new landscape with the confidence of someone who knows exactly where the line is drawn.

Knowledge is Our Only Armor:

The transition from Issue 2 to Senate Bill 56 represents a significant tightening of the “personal freedom” Ohio citizens originally voted for. Whether you see these changes as necessary protections or an overreach of state power, the reality remains: law enforcement now has a new set of teeth. 

In order to stay 100% “above board” in 2026, remember the big three: Source locally, stash in the trunk, and smoke in private. As the legal landscape continues to evolve, I’ll keep tracking the shifts so you don’t have to guess where the line is. Stay safe out there, Ohio.

Best for:

Spiritual Individuals, daily ritual practitioners, tarot beginners, overindulgers, and anyone feeling unfulfilled.

Delayed Gratification:

There’s something sacred about the moment I clock out of work around 6AM, finally able to settle into my early morning. My laptop closes, notifications fade, and I reach for my tarot deck, to map out my days off. It’s a ritual of mine.

A small but meaningful way to transition from doing to being. I shuffle slowly, sometimes asking a quiet question, sometimes just inviting whatever message needs to find me. Though, weekly I make sure to pull a few solo cards for my different daily outlooks, I do larger readings too.

This morning, I filmed the pull for a TikTok. The card that surfaced was the Nine of Cups, the card often called the “wish card.” Except it wasn’t upright, glowing with satisfaction and self-congratulation. It was upside down. Reversed.

In the video, you see me shuffling, the card flip and my pause. The moment a card about fulfillment shows up reversed, you know the universe is asking you to look a little closer. So let’s talk about what that really means, and what we can actually do about it.

What the Nine of Cups Means When It’s Right-Side Up:

Before we dig into the reversal, it helps to understand why this card carries so much weight in the first place.

In its upright position, the Nine of Cups is pure contentment. The traditional Rider-Waite-Smith image shows a figure seated with arms crossed, surrounded by nine gleaming cups arranged behind them. Their expression is one of quiet pride, not boastful, but deeply satisfied. This is the card of wishes granted, goals met, and emotional security achieved. It says: You have what you wanted. Rest in that.

When I pull this card upright after a long workday, it feels like a pat on the back. A confirmation that my efforts are landing, my needs are being met, and I’m allowed to simply enjoy where I am.

But when it appears reversed? That’s when the conversation gets more interesting.

Unpacking the Reversed Nine of Cups – What’s Really Going On:

A reversed card isn’t a curse or a bad omen. It’s usually an invitation to look at the energy of the card from a different angle. It is sometimes the shadow side, sometimes the blocked side, or sometimes the not-yet side. With the Nine of Cups reversed, there are a few distinct flavors this message can take.

1. The Wish Is Delayed (Not Denied).

Sometimes the reversal simply means timing. You put something out into the universe, a goal, a hope, a milestone, and it hasn’t landed yet. The cups are still being filled. This isn’t failure; it’s the space between the ask and the answer. The challenge here is patience, and the discomfort of not knowing when.

2. You Got What You Wanted, but It Didn’t Feel Like You Expected.

This is a sneaky one. You achieve the thing, the job, the relationship, the external marker of success. But instead of euphoria, you feel… flat. The Nine of Cups reversed can show up when we’ve been chasing something we thought would make us happy, only to realize it was the wrong wish altogether. The fulfillment was hollow because it wasn’t truly yours.

3. You’re Performing Satisfaction While Feeling Empty.

Another common expression of this card reversed is the gap between appearance and reality. Maybe to the outside world, everything looks fine. You’re functioning, you’re smiling, you’re checking boxes. But internally, you feel disconnected, lonely, or unfulfilled. This version of the card asks: Who are you pretending to be okay for?

4. Overindulgence as a Substitute for Fulfillment.

The upright Nine of Cups enjoys life’s pleasures. Reversed, that enjoyment can tip into excess. If we are using food, shopping, scrolling, or other comforts to fill an emotional void. It’s not about the indulgence itself; it’s about what you’re trying to soothe without actually addressing it.

How to Shift the Energy – Practical Ways to Realign:

One of the reasons I love pulling a daily card is that it’s never just a diagnosis. This is my compass. If the reversed Nine of Cups appears, here are concrete ways to work with its energy and create real change.

1. Clarify What You Actually Want.

Sit down with a notebook and ask yourself: What am I currently pursuing? If I achieved it tomorrow, would I genuinely feel fulfilled, or would I immediately need the next thing? Separate wishes that come from societal expectation, comparison, or old versions of yourself from wishes that genuinely align with who you are now.

Action step: Write down one goal you’ve been chasing. Beneath it, write why you want it. If the “why” feels hollow, give yourself permission to pause or pivot.

2. Practice Honest Inventory, Not Performance.

If you suspect you’ve been projecting satisfaction you don’t fully feel, start small. Pick one person you trust and share something real about where you’re struggling. The goal isn’t to dump negativity, it’s to close the gap between your inner experience and outer presentation. Fulfillment can’t grow in a space where you’re constantly performing.

Action step: This week, say one honest thing about your emotional state that you’d normally keep to yourself. Notice how it shifts the quality of your connection.

3. Delay the Dopamine Hit.

When the reversed Nine of Cups points toward overindulgence, the fix isn’t puritanical restriction, it’s intentionality. Before you reach for a comfort habit (snacking, online shopping, binge-watching), pause for sixty seconds and ask: Am I doing this to genuinely enjoy it, or to avoid something?

Action step: Create a five-minute “pause practice.” When you notice the urge to numb or distract, take five deep breaths first. Then choose consciously rather than automatically.

4. Reframe “Delayed” as “In Progress”

If your wish simply hasn’t arrived yet, the antidote is often reframing. Instead of seeing the delay as a rejection, treat it as a building phase. What skills, resources, or emotional readiness does this wish require that you’re still cultivating?

Action step: Make a short list: What is this waiting period preparing me for? Even if the answer is simply patience, that’s a legitimate form of preparation.

Why the Daily Pull Matters – Even When the Card Isn’t “Good”:

My daily card pull isn’t about fortune-telling. It’s about staying in conversation with myself. When I pulled the reversed Nine of Cups, the video captured a real moment, not a curated one. That’s the point.

Rituals like this keep us honest. They remind us that fulfillment isn’t a permanent state; it’s something we navigate, lose touch with, and return to. A reversed wish card doesn’t mean the universe is saying no. It’s saying let’s check the fine print before you sign.

The Wish Is Still Yours:

The Nine of Cups reversed isn’t a cancellation of your desires. It’s an invitation to refine them. In my own life, pulling this card reminded me that I’ve been chasing a few things on autopilot. Things I assumed would bring relief but that I haven’t stopped to ask if I actually want anymore.

Your wishes don’t disappear just because one card shows up upside down. But sometimes they need to be held up to the light, examined from a different angle, and maybe even let go of. This way something truer can take their place.

So if this card has appeared for you, here’s my encouragement: don’t panic. Don’t dismiss it. Let it be the start of a better question. Not “When will I get what I want?” but “What do I truly want to feel? What is one honest step I can take toward that today?”

The cups are still yours. They’re just rearranging themselves into something that actually fits.

Best for:

Indie writers supporting other writers, those interested in self-help or therapy, language lovers, psychology enthusiasts, over-thinkers, and anyone who ever feels consumed by emotions and wonders why it feels permanent.

Learning About Language:

I learned something recently that caused me to pause the video I was watching. A person was referring to their time living in America and comparing it to what they have experienced since living abroad. They were speaking about the use of emotions passing through us in the Spanish speaking countries they had been frequenting and touched on the psychological aspects of all of this. This prompted me to wonder about how much the way we speak in other ways outside of emotional ones impacts us as well.

As an English-speaking American, I had never realized how heavy the verb “to be” actually is. We say “I am sad” as if sadness is not a visitor but a permanent resident. We say “I am anxious” as if anxiety is our address rather than a temporary weather pattern. Though these feelings are debilitating for some of us, we do not live inside of them always.

Emotion:

The English language, particularly American English, favors the verb “to be.” If we feel something, we are that thing, can you say dramatics. I’m kidding but, honestly those who designed the way we speak in America caused this collapse. The distance between self and sensation, is minimal here in the way we speak.

In other many other languages people don’t often refer to themselves as the emotion they feel. For instance how Americans, myself included things like “I am depressed” or “I am anxious.” Instead, these some of these languages describe the feeling as something passing through them. Anger is passing through me. Sorrow is moving over me. Fear is on me right now.

I now know, this also isn’t just a translation quirk, but a fundamental difference in how we construct the self. The consequences it has on our mental health, relationships, and how we move through difficult emotions are enough to make me more apt to think about the way I speak regarding myself.

Irish (Gaelic): Sadness on Me

In Irish, emotions are something that happen to you or rest upon you. The famous construction is Tá brón orm, which literally translates to “Sadness is on me.” You don’t be sad; sadness comes to you like weather arriving. Other examples:

• Tá fearg orm — Anger is on me.
• Tá imní orm — Anxiety/worry is on me.

This grammatical structure inherently communicates impermanence. Sadness lands on you; it can also lift.

Spanish: Having Feelings, Not Being Them

Spanish commonly uses tener (to have) for emotions:

• Tengo ansiedad — I have anxiety (not I am anxious).
• Tengo miedo — I have fear.
• Tengo tristeza — I have sadness.

Possession implies a degree of separation. You can have something without being consumed by it. Spanish also uses reflexive and passive constructions that further distance the self from the feeling. Statements like me siento (I feel myself) or se me pasó la tristeza (the sadness passed through me) that allow distance in between self and feelings.

Arabic: What Passed Over Me

Arabic offers some of the most striking examples. In both Modern Standard Arabic and dialects like Levantine or Egyptian Arabic. The way they speak their emotions are frequently framed as something that came over or hit the speaker. Think of an outside force the self that moves through.

• على قلبي ضيق (‘ala albi dayyiq) — “tightness is on my heart.”
• جا عليّ حالة (ja ‘alayya haaleh, Levantine) — “A state came over me.”
• مسكني غضب (misaknī ghaḍab) — “Anger seized me” or “took hold of me.”

In classical Arabic poetics and everyday speech alike, emotions are often described as visitors, invaders, or passing clouds. You are not the anger; the anger is something that found you momentarily.

Beyond Emotions: Other Ways American English Differs

This pattern of identity vs. transience doesn’t stop with feelings. American English extends the “I am” or the “to-be” structure into domains. Here other languages use more temporary or external constructions. I found at least these three additional areas where the difference shows up. Illness and the body, success and failure, and time and urgency all of which have their own psychological impact on us all.

Illness and the Body

In American English, we say “I am sick” or “I am a diabetic” equating the condition with identity like self with emotion. In Spanish, you have sickness (estoy enfermo) is temporary “I am sick,” and chronic conditions use (tengo diabetes.) I have diabetes). In Arabic, one might say (المرض جاي عليّ) meaning the illness came upon me. Thus, framing the condition as an external visitor rather than a core identity. The difference matters: “I am a diabetic” lands differently in the psyche than “I have diabetes.”

Success and Failure

American English tends to internalize outcomes. We say “I am a failure” or “I am successful.” In many other languages, success and failure are things you achieve or experience. They are not things you are. In Japanese, success is often framed as 成功する (seikō suru) which translates to, to do/achieve success. They do not link to be successful with their identity. In French, j’ai réussi (I succeeded) keeps the event separate from the self as well.

Time and Urgency

American English is unusually future-anxious. We say “I am running late” as if lateness is an identity state. We say “I am swamped” or “I am buried.” All of these metaphors suggest we are the overwhelm. Other languages often externalize time pressure. In Arabic, one might say الوقت ضيق (“time is tight”) rather than “I am in a hurry.” In Spanish, voy con prisa (I go with hurry) also separates the self from the urgency.

What This Does to the Psyche

Linguistic structures aren’t something that is neutral. They work to shape cognition, emotional regulation, and even how we respond to distress. When a language consistently equates emotion, time, sucess, and other things with identity, it wires the brain to perceive these things as permanent traits. Likewise when a language preserves separation, it wires the brain for impermanence and separates self from trait.

Self-Differentiation – The Space Between You and the Feeling:

Psychologists use the term self-differentiation to describe the ability to hold onto your sense of self while experiencing strong emotions. The “I am” construction collapses that space. Using instead the emotion is passing through me acts to preserve it. That space is where regulation happens. Without it, you don’t have an emotion; you are the emotion. This makes it nearly impossible to respond intentionally.

Impermanence: Fighting Reality vs. Moving With It

All emotions, failures, illnesses are typically transient by nature. Neurobiologically, an emotion wave typically lasts 60 to 90 seconds when it is fully processed without cognitive resistance. But when we say “I am depressed” (as an identity), we lock ourselves into a narrative of permanence. I do want to note I am speaking emotionally and not clinically in terms of emotions . The brain, now seeking consistency, begins to look for evidence that confirms the identity. The language of transience like the emotions are moving through you, aligns with our biological reality. It says: this will pass. That statement alone changes the nervous system’s response.

Secondary Suffering – Shame on Top of Pain:

When you believe you are your emotions, failures, and illnesses, you inevitably add a second layer: What’s wrong with me? Why am I like this? Why can’t I just stop? This is called secondary suffering. The original failure, emotional state, or lateness was painful enough. The shame and self-criticism that follow are what make it debilitating. The “passing through” frame removes the self-judgment. If it is a just a visitor, there’s nothing wrong with you for hosting it.

Agency: From Victim to Witness

“I am late” positions you as the problem. There is no one left to respond. “Time is tight” positions you as the witness. You become the sky, not the storm. From that vantage point, you can choose. You can breathe. You can wait for it to become loose again. Agency is not about controlling the thing; it’s about remaining present while it passes.

Pause With Me

Let’s sit with this for a moment.

If you grew up speaking English, or if English is the language of your inner monologue, you have likely spent decades telling yourself, hundreds of times a day, that you are whatever you feel. That is not a small thing. That is a quiet conditioning that runs beneath every difficult morning, spiraling thought, and every minute you were late.

Here’s the thing language won’t tell you outright: it can be undone.

Before we move on, let me offer a few small invitations, or ideas to get you thinking of things you want to add in the comments:

• What emotion have you been telling yourself you “are” that you know now to be just be passing through?
• If you speak another language, what’s a phrase from it that separates the self from the feeling, illness, lateness, or other state of being?
• When was the last time you noticed your own inner monologue using “I am” in a way that didn’t serve you?

This conversation only gets richer when more voices enter it. I love to read everything you have to add from your own experience with languages.

Rewiring Our Inner Monologues:

Knowing the linguistics is helpful and interesting. Applying it is where things change. Below are some specific ways to begin shifting from identity-based language to a more transience-based language.

Swap

When you notice an emotion rising, try this structure:

• Instead of “I am anxious,” say internally: Anxiety is moving through me right now.
• Instead of “I am so angry,” try: “Anger is upon me.”
• Instead of “I am depressed,” try: A heavy sadness is resting on me right now. It will shift.

This isn’t about toxic positivity or pretending the feeling isn’t real. It’s about relating to it accurately: as a temporary event, not a permanent identity.

You Have, You Are Not

If you live with a chronic condition, mental or physical, experiment with shifting from identity statements to possession statements:

• “I have depression” instead of “I am depressed.”
• “I have anxiety” instead of “I am anxious.”
• “I have a chronic illness” instead of “I am sick.”

This is not denial. It is a reclamation of selfhood. You are the one carrying the condition, and you are not the condition itself.

Events, Not Identities

When you make a mistake or fall short of a goal, notice where your inner monologue turns “I am” and “to be” statements into permanent flaws. Practice rephrasing:

• “I failed that” instead of “I am a failure.”
• “I made a choice that didn’t work out” instead of “I am a mess.”
• “I am learning this slowly” instead of “I am stupid.”

Behavior is not identity. The language you use to narrate your own life either reinforces that distinction or erases it.

Externalize the Pressure:

When you feel the familiar grip of “I am so behind” or “I am buried,” try externalizing:

• “There is a lot of urgency right now” instead of “I am overwhelmed.”
• “The timeline is tight” instead of “I am running late.”
• “A lot is demanding my attention” instead of “I am drowning.”

This small shift reclaims agency. You are not the overwhelm; you are a person navigating a moment of high demand.

You Are the Weather Person, Not the Weather

Language is not a neutral tool. It is a daily practice of world-building. When a language consistently tells you that you are your emotions, your illnesses, your failures, and your overwhelm, it builds a world where those things feel inescapable. When a language tells you that emotions pass through, that illness is something you have, that failure and time constraints are something you experienced, it builds a world where you remain the stable reporter of the weather and not the weather itself.

The good news is you don’t have to move to Ireland or learn Arabic to make this shift. You just have to start listening to your own sentences. Then, when you catch yourself saying “I am” to something that is actually just visiting, you gently rewrite the line.

You are not your anger. You are not your anxiety. You are not your worst day or your loudest emotion. You are the one who notices them arrive. And you will be the one who notices them leave.

Before You Go

If this post resonated with you, share it with a friend who overthinks their inner monologue or a therapy advocate you know that would appreciate the linguistics angle.

If you know someone who doesn’t speak English as their first language who you’ve heard say “we just phrase it differently.” Share this will them and let them know you never know why it mattered before.

Drop this in your newsfeed if you believe the psychology of language deserves more attention. The more we talk about how we talk, the more we all get free of the sentences that trap us.

Thank you for reading. And thank you for staying with me to the end.